Keith Flanagan

Cooler temps and sweater weather mean it's time for one of fall's sweetest traditions: apple picking. Much like summer’s juiciest fruits—strawberries, cherries and blueberries—apples are best enjoyed when picked straight from the tree. Luckily, there’s no shortage of orchards and farms that offer apple picking near NYC. Take an autumn adventure to New York, Connecticut or New Jersey to fill a whole bushel with your hand-picked haul. You'll score plenty of fruit for snacking and baking, but these apples are only half the fun. Many farms also feature hayrides, corn mazes, farm-fresh treats like hot cider doughnuts and even petting zoos. There's enough entertainment to make it a fall family outing. Apples are usually ready to pick in late August or early September, but be sure to check crop availability before you go. As a bonus, many of these farms have pumpkin patches later in the season for all your Halloween needs.

Sometimes the best thing to do is to get out of town together. A romantic day trip can be just the thing you need to reconnect. Down to splurge? Head out of the city for a weekend-long romantic getaway in New York State or book a suite in one of the most romantic hotels in NYC. But if you really have to stay local, try out one of these unique date ideas or cuddle up in one of the coziest restaurants and bars in NYC. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to day trips from NYC

Going stir crazy? There are so many things to do with kids in NYC that you can keep the kids entertained all weekend, but sometimes you just have to get away and head outside the city. Fortunately NYC offers easy access to many destinations that offer kid-friendly attractions and activities as well as a change of scenery. Sure you can take a kid-friendly day trip to a nearby amusement park or take a hike to get some fresh air, but a full-on family weekend getaway from NYC is sure to shake things up with epic adventures and tons of fun. Whether the fam is into quaint coastal towns, historic landmarks, the great outdoors or resort life, these NYC weekend getaway ideas will satisfy the itch for something new and leave you with lasting memories of family fun.

When it comes to staying in a super-fancy Airbnb, who says you have to be a tourist? Even New Yorkers can indulge in a change of scenery every once in a while. And Airbnb is the perfect place to explore your own city. The site is full of rentals that are whacky and glorious, that give you a chance to live an entirely different life for a day (or a few). Below we’ve picked out some of NYC’s most fascinating and brilliant Airbnb rentals. RECOMMENDED: 🥯Check out the best New York City Airbnbs 🛏 See the best boutique hotels in New York City🛁 stay in the best Airbnbs with hot tubs in New York🍒How about the sexiest hotels in NYC? Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on top reviews, hosts and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Flourishing with tree-lined lakes, historic port towns, sweeping valleys and snow-capped peaks, the sheer range of New Hampshire getaways is astounding for such a small state. And yet the landscape leaves plenty of room for surprises, too, with a popular seacoast and bite-size towns packed with big-city flavors. Whether you’re looking for a romantic lakeside escape or a remote mountain adventure, one of these New Hampshire getaways is bound to get your heart pumping. Discover more about New Hampshire Tyler McGill: part of the 'How I Live Free' series by Visit New Hampshire.

We know what you’re thinking: there aren’t really castles and fortresses in the U.S., are there? After all, things like turrets, moats, and drawbridges are the provenance of Europe, where tales of princesses and dragons warranted such fortified fantasies. But while the U.S. lacks royal lineage, it has no shortage of bored castle enthusiasts who’ve built their own medieval-style dwellings, and the country certainly has no hesitation to put up a wall (plenty of cities began as military forts, after all).Sure, you’ve probably heard about some of the best castles in the U.S. (like the iconic Hearst Castle, built by the publishing magnate), but there are plenty of fortified, awe-inspiring structures that fly under the radar. Often hard to get to—or just hard to wrap your mind around—these hidden castles and fortresses are sure to give you medieval thoughts. RECOMMENDED: the best places to visit in the U.S.

Whether or not we felt comfortable enough to hit the club, 2021 was the year we got our groove back. Hell, many of us had given it a go at home. We’d played that Dua Lipa album to death. We’d tried, desperately, to make ‘lockdown discos’ a thing. Last year, some of the bigger legends among us even attended virtual NYE parties. It was good fun, until it got boring – fast. Though much of the world has slipped in and out of lockdown this year, there were moments when most of us were able to get back on the dancefloor. The pre-night hype, the thump-thump-thump, the endless spilled drinks: by God, it felt good. And even if we weren’t quite up to a night on the town, as 2021 went on, there were certainly many more reasons to regain that spring in our step. The vaccine rollout sped up. We saw our loved ones again. And we danced – in bars, on street corners, and yes, at home. So wherever we wound up, however we got there, here are 13 songs that got Time Out writers dancing again this year. RECOMMENDED: 15 really, really great books that got us through 2021

Few sensations beat completing that epic volume that’s been sitting on your shelf for months. And this year – this patchy, patchy year – many of us finally did it. We found ourselves trapped at home, desperate for things to do. And actually, turns out, when it came to it, that book wasn’t so intimidating after all. But not only did we simply have more time to enjoy stuff like reading, we also went out of our way to do it because we needed an escape. We needed to be transported to new worlds, to open our eyes to new things, to escape the undeniable bleakness of reality. For many us, films, TV shows and books were our lifeline through the roughest of times. So, as 2021 comes to a close, we asked our editors around the world – literary nerds, one and all – to recommend one book that really resonated with them over the past 12 months. From old classics we really should’ve got round to before to new releases that properly rocked, here are the books that got us through the second (at times nice, but generally godawful) year of the pandemic. We hope you enjoy them, too.RECOMMENDED: The 20 best films of 2021 and the best TV shows we binged this year

Just because you finally figured out a Halloween costume idea that’ll bring the house down, you’re not finished: your home needs a look, too. Need some inspo? This year, the best Halloween decorations in the USA are over-the-top and killing it with kooky, spooky displays. And we hate to break it to you, but a single jack-o’-lantern just won’t cut it this year. One stately home in New Orleans, dubbed the ‘Kraken House’ by locals, has transformed into an octopus with six massive tentacles bursting from its second-floor balcony. Another home, sporting some of the best Halloween decorations in New York City, is crawling — literally — with glow-in-the-dark skeletons (as if the real ones weren’t creepy enough). Need some inspiration to create your own haunted house this year? Take a look at our top picks of the best Halloween decorations in the USA, break out those black lights, and let your inner spook shine. RECOMMENDED: scary movie houses in the USA

New York City has some of the best restaurants and chefs in the world, but sometimes you just want to get out into the countryside and enjoy your food in relative tranquility. A two-hour drive might seem like a lot for lunch, but these days we're looking for any excuse to get out of town even for a minute—especially if it involves destination-worthy grub. So rent a car, hop on the LIRR or Metro-North, and head out to these delicious vineyards and eateries. RECOMMENDED: All of the best day trips from NYC

The food industry dealt with some serious stop and go last year, but luckily, that’s not stopping one of our favorite annual celebrations: National Food Truck Day. What is it, you ask? Here’s everything you need to know... So what's the deal with National Food Truck Day? For starters, it’s not only one day. Officially, National Food Truck Day is Friday, June 25th. But Roaming Hunger, the digital hub for all things street food that runs the event, will celebrate all week from June 20th to June 27th. Their goal is simple: get out there and grab a bite from your favorite food trucks. What’s special about this year? What isn’t special about this year? For something extra special, some food trucks will offer discounts and deals during the celebratory week, so find your favorite food truck and see what’s up for grabs. Right, but where is this happening? Heard of the United States? That’s where it’s happening, from coast to coast. To get more specific, go to Roaming Hunger and click on your city, then open up their food truck map to find food trucks near you. Is your favorite food truck participating? Probably! There are hundreds of food trucks participating, so you’re bound to find your fave—or discover a new favorite while you’re at it. What’s the best food truck? All of them. No really, what are some quality recs? Check out some of the participating trucks below. Find them and any deals and discounts they’re offering by going to Roaming Hunger’s Washington DC Map page. Trini Vy

The food industry dealt with some serious stop and go last year, but luckily, that’s not stopping one of our favorite annual celebrations: National Food Truck Day. What is it, you ask? Here’s everything you need to know... So what's the deal with National Food Truck Day? For starters, it’s not only one day. Officially, National Food Truck Day is Friday, June 25th. But Roaming Hunger, the digital hub for all things street food that runs the event, will celebrate all week from June 20th to June 27th. Their goal is simple: get out there and grab a bite from your favorite food trucks. What’s special about this year? What isn’t special about this year? For something extra special, some food trucks will offer discounts and deals during the celebratory week, so find your favorite food truck and see what’s up for grabs. Right, but where is this happening? Heard of the United States? That’s where it’s happening, from coast to coast. To get more specific, go to Roaming Hunger and click on your city, then open up their food truck map to find food trucks near you. Is your favorite food truck participating? Probably! There are hundreds of food trucks participating, so you’re bound to find your fave—or discover a new favorite while you’re at it. What’s the best food truck? All of them. No really, what are some quality recs? Check out some of the participating trucks below. Find them and any deals and discounts they’re offering by going to Roaming Hunger’s Seattle Map page. Polish Cuisine

If you’ve ever dreamed of house swapping with the McCallisters during the holidays, the wait is over: you can actually book the Home Alone house for the first time this year.Tied to the reboot that no one asked for (the film franchise’s latest installment, Home Sweet Home Alone, recently debuted on Disney+), Airbnb reimagined the Chicago home for a special one-night stay. Will Kevin McCallister be there? Not this time. But Kevin’s big brother, Buzz, will host the stay for up to four guests (apparently Macaulay Culkin was booked) and promises to be a little more accommodating than he was thirty years ago. Photograph: Sarah Crowley Does that mean he stocked up on milk, eggs, and fabric softener? No, but he’s bringing his pet tarantula (seriously, the booking includes a meet-and-greet with a real-life tarantula), and he’ll set you up with a special viewing of the new film, too.The stay also includes booby traps scattered about the house (fear not: you’ll set them up yourself), plenty of ‘90s junk food (like microwavable Kraft Macaroni & Cheese), Chicago’s “finest pizza” (let’s hope they double up on the cheese), and a LEGO Ideas Home Alone set that you can take home. And, of course, the amenities include a surprisingly searing aftershave so you can relive that iconic mirror moment.  Photograph: Sarah Crowley 
Curiously, the listing doesn’t explicitly say you can’t take a sled down the stairs, but don’t get any crazy ideas. The best part? The promotional Airbnb only costs $25